Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) recently launched the G.I.R.L. Agenda Powered by Girl Scouts, a nonpartisan initiative to inspire, prepare, and mobilize girls and those who care about them to lead positive change through civic action. The multiyear effort celebrates the Girl Scout legacy of civic engagement, and for the first time ever, we’re sharing these free, expert-curated resources beyond our 2.6 million members so we can reach as many girls as possible. The materials are derived from renowned Girl Scout programming that has driven generations of girls over the past century to become leaders. Although the initiative is new, encouraging girls to speak up and advocate for the issues and ideas important to them is not. In fact, even before women could vote in the United States, Girl Scouts could earn the Citizen badge by displaying their knowledge of government and how to get involved! As part of the initiative, we’ve introduced the new Good Neighbor badge for Daisies (girls in grades K–1). This badge joins a lineup of existing Citizen badges—Celebrating Community, Inside Government, Finding Common Ground, Behind the Ballot, and Public Policy—that engage girls in age-appropriate activities involving community service, public policy, government, voting, and more. Over time, the badges build girls’ knowledge of local and global communities and show them how their actions as citizens make the world better for everyone. Daisy Good Neighbor Badge Groups of people are called communities. You’re part of lots of communities! Your Daisy troop is one, and so is your class at school. You can help your communities by being a good neighbor. Find out how in this badge.
Brownie Celebrating Community Badge Communities often celebrate what makes them special. A Brownie group is a community! Other communities—your town, state, and country—have celebrations, like ceremonies or parades. They might also celebrate by building statues or museums. In this badge, find out what your communities do to celebrate all the people in them.
Junior Inside Government Badge Do you ever wonder exactly what government is and what it does? Active citizens should know the basics of government, so here’s your chance to go behind the scenes. In this badge, you’ll explore laws that affect you every day, meet people who work in government, and be active in government yourself!
Cadette Finding Common Ground Badge Democratic governments exist to help citizens with differing opinions find common ground—the place where people’s thoughts, opinions, and beliefs intersect. Whether it’s Congress, your state, or the local town council, elected leaders often have to make trade-offs, giving up some things they favor to gain support for others. In this badge, investigate how our government does it—and how you can, too.
Senior Behind the Ballot Badge In a democracy like ours, voting isn’t just a right—it’s a responsibility. It’s how you make your voice heard and make choices about how you think things should be done in government. In this badge, you’ll explore the importance of voting and find out about the electoral process in the United States and around the world.
Ambassador Public Policy Badge You want your voice heard. It’s so important that one of your Leadership Journeys is about just that—speaking up about, and acting on, issues that are crucial in your world. And if you want your voice heard by government, it helps to know about public policy: the laws and government actions surrounding particular issues. To influence public policy, it’s important to know how a citizen can work to effect change in her community, her country, and her world. This Ambassador Citizen badge is your opportunity to find out.
*adapted from GSUSA
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AuthorSThe Low Down is written by GSSoAZ Staff, Volunteers and Girls! Email [email protected] if you have an article or idea to contribute! Archives
March 2018
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